'The Flash' Season 4 Premiere Delivers a Team Flash 'Civil War'

But also brings back the most important member of all.

The last thing anyone expected from The Flash Season 4 from The Flash Season 4 from The Flash Season 4 was a Civil War-style ideological disagreement cringating a rift between the members of Team Flash, yet here we are. Key members of the Team clash in the Season 4 premiere over whether or not they should try bringing Barry Allen back from the Speed Force. Much like Captain America: Civil War, the members on each side of the conflict might surprise you, but unlike Civil War, this doesn’t get resolved through actual fighting.

Spoilers follow for The Flash Season 4 premiere.

Season 3 of The Flash conditioned us to expect that the big twist at the end of the previous season would be undone by the end of the very next episode. InIn

Back the Season 3 premiere, Barry enjoyed bliss living with both of his parents, but by the episode’s end, he had to undo the Flashpoint reality and live with its consequences for a whole somber season, obsessing over Savitar and Iris’ impending death.

Even Joe West is somewhat concerned with Iris’ approach to Barry’s disappearance. She seems somewhat okay, which is exactly the problem. Iris is willing to accept that Barry left her willingly to atone for his sins. That seems to be partially why she takes charge of Team Flash in his absence.

She and Cisco clash fundamentally over whether or not to try bringing Barry back from the Speed Force. It takes a new villain that, somehow, a speedster and a breacher cannot take care of, to spur this on. When Cisco inevitably does succeed, it’s a whole new Barry. He has to fit into a new team that’s significantly smaller than last season.

It’s a good thing, mainly because in addition to a bloated season with too many characters, Season 3 was overburdened by an overdramatic tone. Barry’s reappearance grants the show a rare opportunity for a soft reboot that reinvigorates the series with a lighter tone that lends itself well to its classic “villain of the week” approach that served it well in previous seasons.

Whether or not The Flash can rebound from a super-serious Season 3 remains to be seen, but it’s off to a strong start.